1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for synthesizing light paraffinic hydrocarbons from CO and H.sub.2 by contacting mixtures thereof with face-centered cubic molybdenum oxycarbonitride catalyst, having high activity.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
CO hydrogenation, including the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is well-known in the art for producing a broad range of gaseous liquid and solid hydrocarbons including methane (C.sub.1) to C.sub.20 and higher carbon chain numbers. The process usually uses iron-based catalysts promoted with various agents such as potassium carbonate and the like to improve product distribution and selectivity.
New catalysts for the process are constantly being searched for and evaluated in order to improve the selectivity of the process for producing a particular range of hydrocarbons for example, C.sub.2 -C.sub.5, and to stabilize this selectivity over a broad range of operating parameters.